Happy Thanksgiving
Tue, 24 Nov 1998 21:53:45 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I'll be taking a few days vacation from my "list mom" duties. The automated e-mail system should function normally, but I won't get messages posted to the website until Sunday or so.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Contra Costa County Sandhill Cranes
Thu, 26 Nov 1998 12:37:40 -0800
From: Mike Feighner
Happy Thanksgiving:
This morning I birded Eastern Contra Costa County at the east end of Delta Road hoping to refind the adult White-throated Sparrow Steve Glover had found earlier this week. I did not refind the White-throated Sparrow although there were several Fox Sparrows, White-crowned, and Golden-crowned Sparrows present near the small sewage pond. One Common Yellowthroat and one Orange-crowned Warbler were also present. While patiently waiting for the White-throated Sparrow, I heard the calls of Sandhill Cranes (sound like Apaches on the war-path) at least three times before I actually saw a flock of about 25 Sandhill Cranes in flight at the south side of the east end of Delta Road heading to the South-East.
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA
East Contra Costa 11/24/98
Fri, 27 Nov 1998 12:11:06 PST
From: Steve Glover
Hello everyone,
Hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving.
On Tuesday I checked a few spots in eastern [Contra Costa County]. The best bird was an immature Bald Eagle flying southeast over Vasco Rd., probably commuting from the new reservoir to Clifton Court Forebay. This was my first this year, number 252 in the county I think. At Marsh Creek Reservoir on Marsh Creek Rd. west of Brentwood there were 75 Ring-necked Ducks and 7 Common Moorhens. I again checked the back roads south of Antioch for Vesper Sparrows and M[ountain] Bluebirds but again came up empty. There were lots of Say's Phoebes and Loggerhead Shrikes in the area. At Piper Slough at the north end of Bethel Island were the usual wintering birds including several Orange-crowned Warblers and 3 Winter Wrens. Scoping the islands to the north (useful only for flying birds) I saw good numbers of Tundra Swans and Sandhill Cranes. The highlight there was at least 2 and probably 3 or 4 Harbor Seals on the slough. They were easily refound time and again by watching for terrified flocks of coots pattering out of the way. I had this species once before in the slough at Jersey Is[land]. On the way home there were 10 Cattle Egrets at the intersection of Cypress Rd. and Jersey Island Rd. For lack of time, if anyone has any questions about directions please see my site guide on Joe Morlan's great web site at fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan .
Steve Glover